Tuesday, September 9, 2014

The Legend of Sheba by Tosca Lee

If
you're like me, you've probably read a story in the Bible and not
given it much thought. I've read 1 Kings 10 and never wondered how
she came to be queen in a male dominated world. I never gave it much
thought as to how she heard about Solomon and his wisdom or what her
visit was like.

Lee
has done an incredible amount of research an has crafted a thought
provoking fictional account of the queen's visit. She gives us a
plausible story as to how she became queen with her mother dying and
her father remarrying. The cruel step-mother has her exiled to Punt.
When the king finally dies, those loyal to the kingdom come to her to
make her queen.

She
wants to excel as queen and refuses marriage. Men from her kingdom
who trade, taking spices to the north, tell her of the new kingdom
there and the king. She is amazed at the influence and power of such
an upstart king of an infant kingdom.

She
is stunned when she hears that Solomon is building a port city at
Ezion-geber. “Solomon, the Israelite king, meant to neutralize
Saba's trade and render our caravans obsolete.” (126) Who was he to
presume to challenge the queen of a land as old as time itself? Her
counselors advise war but she wants to send an emissary to negotiate
with the king. With the very future of her nation threatened, she
decides to go herself.

As
I have found with Lee's previous books, she is meticulous in her
portrayal of the ancient world. She describes well the caravan and
the journey north that takes months. Lee has also written a very
thought provoking lengthy interchange between Solomon and the queen.
It was thought provoking for me because I hadn't given much thought
to Solomon's spiritual state at this time in his life. Lee explores
the many wives Solomon had and what that meant.

Lee
has combined the biblical account, extra-biblical accounts, and
legend into a very readable and enlightening novel. She provides a
plausible reason for the legend that the ark of the covenant ended up
in Ethiopia. She adds drama to the fact that Solomon knew his kingdom
would be divided.

I
am again impressed with Lee and her ability to craft excellent
historical fiction. I highly recommend this book. It brings to life a
portion of Scripture I have too often quickly read through without
thinking.

Tosca
Lee is the award winning New York Times bestselling author of
several novels including some written with Ted Dekker. Find out more
at www.ToscaLee.com.

Howard
Books, 330 pages.

I
received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the
purpose of an independent and honest review.

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About Me

I am a retired Christian bookstore owner of 33 years. I still love books and read as many as I can, blogging my reviews. I have also taken up photography and sell photos of Whidbey Island and nearby landscapes.